In Finland Nazi alpine troops, used in sections of Northern Finland against the Red Army, are shown here lined up for in- spection by superidr officers. Presence of these troops on Finnish soil was one of the reasons for the break in US- Finnish relations. They have been unable, however, despite support from Mannerheim’s armies ,to succeed in break- ing through Soviet lines in the north and cutting off the supply line from Murmansk, through which lend-lease sup- plies flow to the aid of Red Armies on the Hastern Front. lounecil Delegates Give ig When William M. Mercer, cost-of-living expert in charge ae newly opened Bureau of Statistics offices here, goes -to Ottawa next week, he will carry with him an imposing jot pertinent questions fired at him by members of the Wecouver Trades Council last Tuesday night. © the invitation of the Council, Mercer came down to the 'r Temple “to explain the cost- ine index” to local trade miists. He went away with a hy good dea of how WVancou- Bworkers feel about spiralling s and falling qualities of com- ties. However, as one dele- put it, after Mercer had taken ogh 35 minutes of quizzing the floor, “there’s no hard Bigs against you, Mr. Mercer. Bust that the index you have Pork with is a lot of hot air!” "2: questions started after Mer- j iad outlined the list of com- = ieS on which the index was djerates were particularly in- sted in the statement that L index did not include ‘‘wood, Stust, fruit, or vegetables, ' the exception of onions and A toes.” + facet that taxes on tobaccos f tigarettes were ignored also came in for criticism. In ex- planation, Mercer protested that “there would be no sense in in- cludine them, because if they were included the cost-of-living bonus would be raised, and then work ers would be able to buy cigarettes, and thus labor would have to be used to produce them that was needed for other commodities. .. .” “It would be silly,” said Mercer, “to raise taxes and then raise wages so that men could pay them.” Delegates from local unions, however, seemed to believe other- wise. Delegates weren’t satisfied with another answer given by Mercer, when one delegate pointed out that a cauliflower that cost his wife so cents before the war cost 75 cents now, and yet wasn’t included in cost-of-living estimates. “Well,” said Mercer, “if the cost | Unloading en in uniform, and got down sinéss on the job of solving uver's fuel problem. & recommendation from the itive, the council decided tc or Sunday band concerts at fish Bay if enough unions agree to suport the venture icially. € council executive feels that ould sponsor one of the eight forts of the season, and the cians’ Union have volunteered services free of charge,” rman Bizt Showler told the ing. "he executive also recommend- that volunteer shifts of union enbers offer their services to i! distributors for work on days. Several delegates felt t¢ before interviewing coal panies the council should Bre certain that by so doing ¥y Were not helping to lower Pbnists Offer Help Coal elegates to Vancouver Trades Council last Tuesday night ‘firmed their approval of Sunday entertainments, offered ct help to the Housewives League in establishment of their umers center, enquired into setting up of recreation centers wage rates for laborers. The ex- ecutive agreed that all such in- vestigations would be carried out before any decision was reached. “TJ think it’s a good idea,” said Showler, “although I suppose that our friend Mr. Rodden will bawl us out as he did last week for breaking the peace of the Sabbath. But Vancouver citizens need the coal, and dealers can’t get men to load it.” "In Great Britain workers give up their Sundays to build home de- fense, and that isn’t considered immoral,” said one delegate. “There is no greater Christian act than keeping our children warm,’ added another. » An extensive report was read by the chairman of a committee set up to make-a survey of recreation- al centres provided for men in the armed forces. fov't Expert Rough Time of a cauliflower were included, the index wouldn’t change very much.’ Unionists felt the whole point of the question, however, was that the cauliflower was only used as an example, and that Since the problem was the same on other foods, the explanation offered was rather childish. Laughs also greeted Mercer’s statement that one reason liv- ing costs had gone up was be- cause “inexperienced young housewives” were buying higher priced articles. Dlegates won- dered whether, since no change in the index showed this ten- dency, the estimates were made on only the cheapest articles of each type available. “And isn’t it a coincidence,” added a delegate, “that the only foodstuffs not listed in the cost of living index are those on which price ceilings are not placed?” Mercer said he guessed it must be. He then re-read his list of figures, proving that living costs had gone down a few points in the last months. When questioned as to why some articles were not listed, he explained that it was because they were not available. On one specific article, he stated, “That was on the index, but it was taken off when the price .. .” “Went delegates. Another union representative felt that rents listed in the Labor Ga- zette weren’t representative, and asked if the government had made a survey of housing on a provin- Cial basis. Mercer answerd that they hadn’t. A dejegate from Aeronautical Lodge 756 told the statistician: “T wish you’d come home with me and tell my wife that the cost-of- living has fallen in the past few up?” suggested several months. She insists that prices in some cases have risen 200 per cent. And the number of men re- jected from the armed forces as physically unfit seems to indicate that Canada is suffering from mal- nutrition.” William Burgess, of the Pisher- men’s Union, wanted to know if living costs of rural workers were considered in compiling the statis- tics. : Mercer said they weren't. In closing, he added that he will “make an honest effort to do all he can to clarify the situation,” and if sections of the index were incorrect in any way, he will do his best to correct them. Trail Union Brief Raps Fink Unions TRAIL, BC—The CIO International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 480, has made public its proposals for revision of federal labor policies which. will be presented to the National War Labor Board inquiry in Ottawa. Principal recommendations include: 1. That a labor code be placed on the dominion statute books and property enforced, pro- viding for compulsory collective bargaining with bona-fide trade unions. 2. That it be a criminal offense for any employer in any way to dominate or influence the organ- ization or administration of work- ers’ organizations. 3. That power be granted to the Labor Board which shall not be in any way less than that estab- lished under the Wagner Act in the United States. Coupled with these proposals is a warning against allowing the Trail smelter, one of the most vi- tal Canadian war plants turning out lead and chemicals, to be shut down for any purpose. “Any shutdown, for whatever cause, would have results worse than the sudden shutdown at Ar- Vida aluminum plants,” the brief declares. “Complete support of the War can only be possible with a functioning trade union having as its main function the orderly set- tlement of grievances and backed by proper labor laws equitably and firmly administered. Local 480, the union of the workers employed in the plants of Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company, from ex- perience gained in the past 25 years, have come to realize that inestimable damage to democracy can be inflicted in the denial of rights of Canadian citizenship to employees of large corporations through lack of adequate labor laws and the devastating effect this has on moral, political and community life,” the brief contin- ues. “Therefore, while supporting completely the general submission made to your Board by our parent organization—the Canadian Con- gress of Labor—and also the sub- mission of the Trades and Labor Congress of Canada, asking it be made compulsory for all employers to bargain collectively, we are particularly concerned with the problem of company-dominated setups of employees, posing as bargaining agents of the workers.’ Tracing the development of com- pany “unionism” in Trail over the past 25 years, the brief points to some of the results of that com- the big labor turnover and conse- quent setbacks in production, blacklisting of men suspected of union sympathies, control by the company of municipal government and evasion of provincial taxation. “Without the existence of the trade union movement that gives the employees some protection against intimidation and discrim- ination, it is impossible to combat the autocracy being established and maintained by big business. “The Blaylock cooperative com- mittees are not ofdinary company ‘unions,’ Under the personal direc- tion of S. G. Blaylock, the cooper- ative committee has been used to subtly take complete control over the lives of Consolidated em- ployees, on the job ahd off. The Blaylock plan, in his own words, is ‘definitely political.’ Therein it is somewhat different from the commonly understood purpose of company “unions,’ the combatting of legitimate trade unions. The Sinister purpose of the Blaylock: plan amounts to a real conspiracy against the people of Canada.” Turning to actual wage condi- tions under the Blaylock system, the brief shows that under the Consolidated bonus scheme, basic wages are very low, ranging from $2.75 to $5.25 per day. The bonus provides a considerable proportion of the wages paid, but all of these bonuses, such as for efficiency, metal bonus, and silver bonus, can be altered or withdrawn at the will of the company. “No worker knows what wages he will receive the following month and is thus prevented from budg- etting ahead.’ “In conclusion,” the brief States, “the Trail and District Smelter Workers Union, Local 480, on be- half of its membership and in com-— mon with organized labor in Gan- ada and the United Nations in this eritical year of the people’s war, urges the National War Tabor Boare and the government to do their duty in order that the con- tributions made to our war effort may be enhanced, and that in per- forming our sacred duty to our country and democracy all ob- stacles will be removed. We desire to do all that is humanly possible pany domination of the workers: for an early victory.” Progress Made To Solwe Fuel Problema VICTORIA.—Over two hundred applications to cut wood under the self-help plan have been received by the fuel com- mittee under the sponsorship of Vancouver Island Joint Labor Conference, and cutting has already started at Langford and Saanich, it was announced at the meeting of the committee held here last Thursday evening. Chaiman GC, W. Marshall reported that he with ten other members of the committee met at the Lang- ford property and spent a day blazing trails and marking trees suitable for cutting, while another group cut four or five cords of wood ready for hauling A group of Saanich residents have been cutting steadily on the erewn prop- erty made available in that area. Operations on the lWLangford property, however, will be some- what limted until a temporary road can be made, and WNancy Hodges, MLA, a member of the committee, was delegated to ap- proach the government for assist- ance. The meeting also asked F. A. EH. Manning of the Chamber of Commerce, to find out what help they can give in trucking wood on Sundays and holidays. An offer from from BC Power Boat Squadron of help in investigatne supplies of beachwood on Ghat ham and Discovery Islands was ac- cepted. Setting up of a clearing house for fuel orders in Victoria under the Fuel Board was recommended as the fairest way of dealing with consumers and of relieving dealers of the burden of allocating present limited supples.